The first production Ford Model T leaves the Piquette Plant in Detroit, Mich. It was the first car ever manufactured on an assembly line, with interchangeable parts. The auto industry was to become a major U.S. employer, accounting for as many as one of every eight to 10 jobs in the country .- Union Communication Services

Corona, California US Foods Teamsters launch unfair labor strikeMay 2, 2016|Yesterday, Teamsters who drive for US Foods in Corona began a ULP strike to protest allegations that the foodservice giant violated federal law that protects workers rights. Almost immediately, Corona workers extended their picket line to 10 other US Foods distribution centers and resident yards in Southern California and Phoenix, Arizona, where 750 Teamsters have ceased work to honor the picket lines… In all, more than 800 Teamsters employed by US Foods are currently not working because of the strike and extensions... teamster.org

Stand with CWA/IBEW strikers at VerizonMay 5, 2016|On April 13, 2016, General President Jim Hoffa declared that the Teamsters stand united with the CWA and the IBEW’s strike against Verizon. Today he urges Teamster Local Unions and members to support our union brothers and sisters at Verizon. “It’s more important now than ever to show Teamster solidarity in standing up to corporate greed. We have our own battles with corporate giants like US Foods where multiple Teamster Local Unions are on Unfair Labor Practice strikes, and at a Supervalu-owned distributor that services Kroger stores in Colorado. By having a strong Teamster presence supporting CWA and IBEW and helping those unions win their battles, we will help our union win current and future battles against these corporate giants.” Sign the petition to “Stand with Striking Workers.”

US Foods Teamsters in Ohio honoring Baltimore picket lineMay 5, 2016| Locals 355 and 570 striking USF members have extended their picket line to US Foods in Twinsburg, Ohio (Cleveland). Our US Foods brothers from Local 507 are all honoring the picket line. (Warehouse workers at US Foods in Corona, CA are now honoring the drivers' picket line. See post below.)

Local news station ABC Channel 2 report on US Foods ULP strikeMay 9, 2016|"... they're trying to take these Maryland jobs, move them to Virginia, a non-union facility and then shuffle the trucks back up here to Baltimore," said Jim Deene, a local 355 teamster representative for the truck drivers. "Their package is worth about $32 an hour total with health and welfare and pension and they want to take it down to about $11 an hour..." See the news video at abc2new.com

US Foods Teamsters in New York honoring Baltimore picket lineMay 9, 2016| Locals 355 and 570 extend their picket line to Buffalo, NY. US Foods workers, members of Local 264, began honoring our picket line Friday, May 6 at midnight. Thank you, Buffalo!

Locals 355 and 570 extend picket lines to Michigan and IllinoisMay 12, 2016|On Tuesday, picket lines were extended to a US Foods location in Wixcom, Mich., where unloaders and drivers, members of Local 337, are honoring our strike. And last night, some 40 Teamsters represented by Local 722 who work at the US Foods' distribution warehouse in Streator, Illinois, refused to cross the picket line in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Severn, Md. Thank you, Wixcom and Streator!#USFoodsStrike#Solidarity

Hoffa on the picket lines in support of USF membersMay 16, 2016|General President Hoffa this afternoon met and walked the picket line with more than 50 Local 355 and 570 members who have been on the picket line for almost three weeks (photos above). He pledged the full support of the International for the strikers. "US Foods is attempting to pull these workers out of the middle class," he said in a press release. "Slashing pay as well as health and retirement benefits is no way to ensure that this formerly Maryland-based company remains a good corporate partner in the Free State." Baltimore Sun story here.

Teamsters to host strike update conference call with US Foods investorsMay 24, 2016|The IBT will host a conference call tomorrow to discuss the immediate and long-term impact of recent strike at US Foods' distribution warehouses across the country and the ongoing strike in Severn. "We are stunned US Foods management is asking investors for money in the midst of repeated and sustained work actions against the company," stated Steve Vairma, director of the Teamsters' Warehouse Division. "We are now entering or fourth week of work actions and they will continue until management meets us at the table with real, substantive proposals to renew or resolve contract disputes at 18 Teamster represented US Foods warehouses."

Teamsters at largest USF facility in US honor our picket linesMay 25, 2016|We extended our picket lines to Metro New York (Perth Amboy, NJ; photos above), the largest US Foods facility in the country. Three hundred and twenty warehouse workers and drivers from Locals 202 and 282 have the right to honor our picket lines by refusing to work. facebook.com/SyscoUSFworkersTeamster press release

US Foods members take their message to Camden YardsMay 31, 2016|(click image to enlarge) Locals 355 and 570 distributed informational leaflets – Support our vets. Keep our jobs in Maryland – yesterday during the Memorial Day Baltimore Orioles game. "A war is being fought, and not between the Orioles and the Red Sox. It's being waged by US Foods on Baltimore workers." Local 570 warehouse worker, Chris Price, is a military veteran. "I fought for my country, and now I have to fight for my job from US Foods."